Imelda
by CrashingPetals
Summary: She was a princess. Not a tea-drinking, lace-wearing, giggling one. She wore steel in preference to silk, wielded a sword rather than a sewing needle, and held the deadly grace of a practiced soldier. She was Imelda, and she was a warrior. PeterXOC for now. Pairing may change to EdmundXOC
1. Steel and Guts

**Summary:**

**She is infatuated with the raw scent of burning leather and roughly beaten steel; inebriated with the sounds of screams and the faces of Death; enamored with the clanging of swords and captivated by the promise of an untethered life. Most of all, she is Imelda, and she is a battle.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Narnia or any of the characters in this story except those from the Western Wilds.**

**Imelda**

**Prologue**

"Where are you taking me?" A whimpered, muffled murmur around a rolled up ball of cloth, and the harsh sound of a slap echoed about the looming walls. The girl, who was being ferreted out of a long corridor wrought with stone, gasped aloud as pain erupted over the right side of her face. She struggled, but it was useless. The man who had her tucked painfully under his arm held her in a death grip.

Her bare feet skidded on the floor - the impenetrable floor, that she used to run about on and chase after her brothers, a scolding word of her tongue. She scrabbled at a corner as they went around it, but only managed to create an annoying scraping sound that made her want to cry.

But she wouldn't. She wouldn't cry. She was a queen, and a good one at that, and she wouldn't stoop so low. But Aslan's Mane, she'd make sure her captors would pay for this. When she returned, she'd make sure this never happened again.

It wasn't until she was long gone, slipped silently away, that anybody noticed she was missing. By the time the sun came up, the two kings of Narnia were rudely awakened by the daunting news.

"Edmund, Peter," Lucy gasped out, "Susan's gone."

**Chapter One: Steel and Guts**

The clanking of armor pounded through heads and between whispered sentences. It banished sleep and, coupled with the stark scent of burnt leather, made the fight that was to come seem imminent.

It was the third day of fighting, and the Eastern border was held strong. Invaders from the North often happened upon the wilderness in the West, and it was only when they traveled too far into it that they realized the dangers the land possessed. The main danger, of course, being the Castle Adelmar, and the fighters who protected it.

A woman, dressed in a thick fur robe, motioned silently to the men behind her. She seemed to be a leader of some sort, and she looked the part. Her face was set as stone, eternally attentive as her eyes expertly scoped the area, sweeping here and there and not missing a single thing. This terrain, the wild grasses and the scarce trees, had been her home since she was a child, and she moved through it with a silent grace that made her seem a bit like a lioness.

"We set up camp here. Prepare to sleep, for we leave early on the morrow," she murmured, but her voice carried and tremble with power, washing over the ears of all those around her. The men heeded her words, unrolling their packs and settling down for the night. One or two stepped away to collect firewood.

"My Lady." The woman glanced up at the man who addressed her, raising a brow.

"Darius. Do we have word from the Queen?" she casually began unrolling her pack, but the man was not blind. He could see the tension that wrought her body at the mention of their monarch.

Darius shook his head, eyes never leaving the woman's face, "…Yes. she expects us to continue our patrol until the fortnight is over." It was silent for a few long seconds, before Darius suddenly said, "Imelda - "

"That is General, to you, Darius. I'll not have you treating me kindly out here," she threw him a halfhearted grin that sat crookedly on her face, accentuating her freckles.

Darius scoffed but returned her grin, accepting her obvious desire not to speak anymore. It had been a long and tiring day weeding out the enemy invaders, and sleep was on everyone's minds.

"Goodnight, General," Darius murmured, bowed shortly, and strode off to find a warm place to rest.

Imelda merely nodded and watched the sky, with an ever growing feeling of unrest settling in her heart.

The morning brought with it a sense of accomplishment, at least for Imelda. Her dreams had been sound, not like they were when she was cooped up in that horrid castle. She was up before any of her men, had donned her steel armor and had thrown her fur cloak over her shoulders before breakfast had even been started.

"Be quick," she called to the small company she lead. Imelda strapped her sword around her waist and nodded at Darius, her second in command. "We must make for the Northern border today, and it is a long journey."

They left an hour later after horses were fed and watered. Imelda took the lead, as always, guiding her company through the uninhabited and rough wilderness. By noon the sun had come out, but the winds were still cold and ripped through the thick pelt that Imelda had thrown over her shoulders. Underneath it, she merely had her fitted armor and a pair of laced up hide pants, which offered little protection from the elements. But she was used to the cold, she had grown up with it, and so she shouldered the discomfort that it brought and ignored it.

It was in the early evening, when the sun had just begun to set, that something happened. At first, she rather thought the figure stumbling toward them was a lone man, until she noticed the group of soldiers behind him brandishing matching weapons. Feeling the glamorous spike of war tear through her, Imelda drew her sword and jumped from her horse, hands tightening around the hilt of her weapon and she took down a charging man. She knelt down beside him and grabbed the emblem on his shirt, narrowing her eyes at it.

"Whose house is he from?" Jack, her third, wondered. "Stoneheart? Aedan? I want to know which invader scum to curse at when we meet them in battle." He stared hard at the enemy men that were making their way up the hill toward them.

Imelda scoffed and spat out, "Neither. They hail from Caderyn blood. The worst kind," she added, eyes darkening and locking onto the man that was their leader.

Darius raised a brow and gripped the reins of his stallion. He watched Imelda remount and signal to the others. "They are Caderyn!" she shouted to the men, and the name made them restless, for they had heard it many a time before, whispered in fearful voices by loved ones. The worst kind, indeed, who would stop at nothing until they got whatever it was they wanted. Which, to Imelda, was inexplicable as the Western Wilds possessed no riches of any sort, save perhaps from the odd trade route of passing allies.

"We have no time left," Jack muttered, for the Caderyn's were almost upon them. "Imelda?"

She threw him a sharp glance - probably because he used her first name - but said nothing. Her horse shifted in anticipation and Imelda smirked, eyes darkening as she locked gazes with the burly Caderyn who lead the clan.

"Flank them. Darius, take left. Jack, right. And - " but there she stopped, face filling with surprise as she caught sight of something that shouldn't have been there, least not in the hands of the Caderyn house, and in such a faraway place. "They seem to have a prisoner. Do not harm her. Go!"

She kicked her horse forward and was immediately overcome by the intense excitement that she only received from drawing her sword. "Leave no survivors save the girl! Kill the Caderyn house!" A fierce war cry pushed past her lips as her gray stallon surged forward with a power that equaled her own. Her men, loyal and burning with revenge, charged after her. The battle began with the awe inspiring clang of steel.

Imelda was inebriated by this. This power she had was only ever felt in the midst of battle. When her sword was drawn, Imelda _was_ the battle.

She hacked her way through the fighting, eyes intent on the Caderyn leader. He would be hers for the killing. She had her own revenge to get from his death. Not that this particular man had done her any personal wrong, but his clanmen had long since dabbled in her Queen's affairs, and also her people's. Today, Imelda would place him as the archetype of Caderyn and take her vengeance.

She jumped from her horse, clashing swords with him almost before her feet even touched the ground. For a moment, they were caught up in a draw as both tried to knock the other down, but then he pulled his weapon back to swing at her feet, and Imelda leaped over the sword as she brought her own down upon him.

He blocked at the last moment, but being burly had it's drawbacks and he tripped, falling onto his back. Imelda gave him a twisted smile forged from the heat of battle and lifted her blade up, ready to gut the man where he lay.

"Wait!"

She paused, caught off guard by the sudden sound of another woman's voice. The man used the distraction to his advantage and kicked her off her feet, quickly switching places as he lifted his sword above his head.

Imelda caught the blade in her hand before it reached her chest, and had to bite her tongue as it dug into her palm. She ignored the blood dripping down her wrist and growled, eyes deadly as they locked up with his. Her expression, so wild and inebriated, must have caused him some amount of distress, because his grip on his blade loosened and Imelda twisted it around, slamming it into his gut with a force that came as naturally as breathing.

She remained on the ground for a moment, catching her own breath before sitting up and trying to make her head stop spinning. It was the blood, she was sure. She was loosing a lot of it but she'd be alright. Still breathing deeply, Imelda glanced up at the woman in binds, half hidden from sight inside the makeshift tent the Caderyn men had put up.

Imelda stumbled to her feet, jerking a bit of cloth around her hand and binding it tightly as she walked over to where the woman was sitting.

"Why would you have me wait to kill the man who has obviously done you injustice?" Imelda wondered, raising a brow as she knelt before the lovely lady and cut the rope around her wrists and feet. This prisoner was truly beautiful, and it struck Imelda as odd to find her here, in the middle of nowhere.

The woman stared up at her, "I would make him pay for his crime by sentencing him to death and having him wait out the hours till his end."

Imelda searched her face for a long minute before bursting out in laughter and standing up. She drew out her hand to the woman, but the prisoner merely glowered and shooed it away. For such a delicate lady, Imelda rather liked the fact that she had a mind of her own. Such a thing was rather unheard of in many places of noble birth.

"Tell me," Imelda wondered as she looked around the tent. It was filled with junk and held no valuables, so she proceeded to exit it and look around outside at the results of their victory. "Tell me," she said again, reassessing her thoughts, "What is someone like you doing in a place like this?"

The woman raised a brow, "Well I should think that is obvious. I have been kidnapped."

"Hmm. And where do you hail from?" Imelda asked, walking toward her stallion to calm it. The woman frankly did not interest her all that much, save for her wittiness. Imelda had little idea of who she was, exactly, only that she was some sort of noblewoman.

But her views on her changed when she answered her question, "I hail from Narnia. I am Queen Susan, the Gentle. And who are you?" The slight touch of condescension made Imelda smirk.

"A queen?" she turned to look at the woman, still smirking in amusement. "Then I should think you know your other royalty, my Queen, for I am the Princess Imelda in these parts, daughter of the Queen Irma, proclaimed monarch of this part of the Wilds." The shocked look on _Queen Susan's_ face made Imelda grin all the more.

"It is impossible," Susan said, shaking her head. "The Western Wild has no official queen, else we would have heard of her."

Imelda shrugged, and was about to open her mouth when one of her men shouted, "There are more! Running north!"

She narrowed her eyes and turned to look, running up to the hilltop for a better view. There were indeed more, about ten or so men that must have either fled from the battle or took no part in it to begin with. They were running fast, unhindered by anything but swords, and their horses seemed fresh.

Imelda cursed, flew around and yelled to Darius and Jack. The men hastened toward her, ready to hear her orders. She spoke quickly, "They are going north, towards the border. We must reach them before they make it - " and there she paused, eyes drawn to Susan as a rather sudden plan filled her head. "Right. We will escort Queen Susan back to Cair Paravel. It is also north and we will not loose time in doing so."

Darius gave her a confused look, "…General? What good will this bring to us? Our goal is to root out invading forces - "

"I know," Imelda cut him off, "But this will ultimately bring us more good that killing a bunch of men will. My mother will be pleased by this turn of events. Write to her immediately with the news. Jack, gather the men and check for survivors. I want to leave as soon as possible."

Both men nodded and went their separate ways as Imelda turned toward Susan, who was watching her with untrusting eyes. Imelda just laughed, "Relax. No harm will come to you now. We will be escorting you back to Cair Paravel."

She sniffed, "It is not necessary to do so."

Imelda raised a brow, "Oh? Have you ever been to the Western Wilds, Queen Susan?" The fierce woman grinned and gathered her horse's reins, gesturing for her to come closer. "It is wrought with many dangers. Some areas are completely barren of life. Some are rife with evil magic. You would do well to stay close else you stray and find you untimely end." She laughed again, stepping into her saddle and heaving herself onto her gray stallion.

She held out her hand for Susan, waiting until the queen grabbed it before heaving her onto the back of her horse as well. Susan held tightly to her fur cloak as Imelda guided them around the men and they waited for everyone to get ready.

They left soon after, following the obvious trail left by the invading tribe. They didn't seem to be covering their tracks, which gave their plan away to Imelda. They would have little sleep, little food, and little rest until they were sure they were far enough away from the Wilds. Which meant they would be weak when they were found, and an easy kill. However, there was one aspect of the chase that Imelda had not anticipated, and that was the woman sitting behind her.

"Queen Susan," Imelda said suddenly as they rode. "Do you have any idea as to where the men were taking you?"

Susan responded with, "No. They did not speak of their plans around me. I only know that they were planning to continue south and pass through the Wilds."

South? But that was where Castle Adelmar was. Imelda furrowed her brow, wondering what part a queen of Narnia could play in the uprisings of a lowly clan. Her gut was telling her that there was more to the story than she knew, and she remained cautious throughout the rest of the day.

"I must apologize."

Susan looked up, surprised at the words coming from her stoic companion. The woman Imelda was like none other she'd ever known, and an apology seemed to be the last thing she expected to come from her mouth. "…For what?" she wondered, watching as Imelda leaned in to warm her hands by the fire.

They had made camp a few hours ago, intent on resting up and covering much ground on the morrow. Susan herself felt rather exhausted, but she knew she had gone through many trials in the previous days and was unsurprised by her tiredness.

Imelda shrugged, "The Caderyn Clan is as much a part of this kingdom as I am. I feel as though it is my fault for your capture." She shifted a stick over the fire, poking it and watching the flames roar in response. "That clan has caused many problems for the people here, but my mother refuses to so much as bat an eyelash at them." Which was terribly strange, Imelda thought, seeing as that same clan had taken the very life of her father so many years ago.

Susan stared at the fierce woman before her as a sudden thought struck her. Her blonde hair somewhat matched her brother's, and her courage far exceeded her own. Imelda was noble in a royal way that Susan was only just realizing now. She tilted her head at her and murmured, "Please, do not blame yourself. It is much the fault of the inattentive Narnian guards outside my room as it is my own, for letting myself be kidnapped in the first place."

Imelda gave a small smile at her words, as though amused at her jibe towards her own people. Silence ruled them for a short while, until Susan spoke the question that had been plaguing her all day. "I had thought the Western Wilds were uninhabited. How is there a queen and Narnia did not know of her?"

The warrior princess glanced up at Susan, face set in some grim expression. When she spoke, she spoke with a gravity that surprised Susan. "The Wilds are not ruled by the queen, but rather the tribes that make their home here. It is not a united country, you see. The clans fight each other constantly and so many years ago, they elected a man who was deemed worthy of keeping watch over the fighting." She swallowed, sweeping her eyes up into the night sky as she remembered the man whom she had looked up to. "My father was a good man, until he was murdered by a group of renegade clansmen. He was never a king, more like an overseer. But when my mother took his place, she proclaimed herself royalty."

It was silent again for a few long minutes, until Susan reached forward across the fire to grip Imelda's hand. Imelda looked down at her, surprise flitting over her features. "Thank you for all you have done for me. I am not an easy person to get along with."

Imelda laughed, twisting her hand to hold hers and shaking her head. "Nor am I, I fear. But do not fret. Narnia is less than a week away. We shall get you there in one piece."

Susan nodded, gave her a thankful smile, and got up to retire to bed. Imelda just remained sitting, staring at the fire and trying to work out the puzzle of Susan's kidnapping and why she had been brought here, of all places.

**Author's Note: Hey there! I hope you give my story a chance and read a little bit of it. I also hope you tell me if you liked it or not and review~ I'd love to hear from my readers and figure out whether the story is good enough to continue or not!**

**In case you didn't know, this is a Peter Pevensie X OC story. I originally created this character for Edmund and the pairing might happen to switch over a bit/I'll edit it if the mood strikes. But if you want it to stay Peter-centered then I'd love it if you left a review/PM and told me! **

**I'll try to give updates on upcoming chapter progress on my profile, but you can probably expect an update every week or so if I'm in a writing mood. I'm also starting college this fall, so that could hinder my updating.**

**Let me know whether you think this story should focus on Peter of Edmund please! I'm still having trouble deciding. I'm thinking Edmund would be better suited for someone like her, but we'll see...**


	2. The Queen Susan

**Hiya~ I'm so glad about the positive feedback I got from chapter one :3 It'll certainly prompt me to get more chapters out! So for now, the story will remain PeterXOC and will probably stay that way. I'm not really a fickle person so I doubt I'll change the pairing on you guys halfway through the story xD**

**Heliopause: Thanks for the review! Yes, I have some big plans for Imelda's mother as you've most likely guessed. I also thought the idea of using the Western Wilds would be interesting, and what actually inspired me was Scottish history - fighting clans, ect. - but anyway.. Thanks for pointing out the bad bits too. Constructive criticism is always welcome. I'm not very good at writing battle scenes but I hope to get better~**

**Gabriela CP2: Now that you mention it, Peter's personality does match up with hers pretty decently, doesn't it? :D Thanks for the feedback! Hope you like this chapter.**

**And a special thanks to the other two anonymous reviews I recieved. I really appreciate them all! Without further ado, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

**Imelda**

**Chapter Two: The Queen Susan**

The sound of hoofs slapping the ground and the smell of dirt and wilderness clouded Imelda's head, but her eyes were not focused on the ground. She had never, in all her life, crossed over the border of the Western Wilds. It was her first time seeing Narnia.

It was unlike any other place she had ever experienced. Everywhere was green, the grasses lush and the trees seemed to be of another sort that the ones she had known. Everything rocked with a deep magic that trembled through Imelda's bones. She felt its power and rather thought it was seeping through her.

"It is beautiful, is it not?"

Imelda glanced behind her at Susan, who was still sharing her gray stallion because they had no other horses to spare. A gentle smile had twisted her fair face, and it made Imelda smile in return, though it was slightly forced. "Never before have I seen such beauty. It is truly Aslan's land."

Imelda had heard tales of the Lion, but she had never seen him nor had she known him to have stepped into the Wilds for many centuries. There were tales of the Wilds, and how magic was started there, and Aslan as well, but such stories were only myths to Imelda. She had known only the dangers that her homeland had brought, and knew that it possessed no such good.

"You are cold," Imelda suddenly realized, feeling Susan's hands shaking against her. "You must take my cloak."

But the queen only shook her head, insisting, "It is not from the cold. I am merely excited to return home and see my brothers and sister."

Imelda remained silent for a long minute. She clucked her horse forward, for it was lingering behind, and they picked up speed as she rode to the front of the group. The sun was near setting, but she was sure they would reach Cair Paravel by nightfall. Susan had told her where it was, and though she did not know these parts, she knew that Susan's excitement was growing only because they were close.

"It looks like rain, don't you think?" Susan wondered idly, and Imelda glanced to the sky shortly before kicking her horse faster.

"Indeed. A storm is on its way. Let us hope we shall reach our destination before it comes." Somehow, Imelda had a feeling they would not.

Her feeling came out to be true, in the end. Barely an hour later the sky turned dark and the rainclouds hid away the final traces of sunlight from their weary bodies. It was a heavy rain that sheeted down on them, relentlessly stealing away their vision. Imelda forced Susan to take her fur cloak. It went to mid-back, so it gave her little warmth. But she would not have the queen freeze to death when they were so close.

Imelda was about to call a stop to their continuation when Susan suddenly let out a gasp and called, "Oh! But there it is! Just up ahead is Cair!" And, though it was faint and practically invisible, Imelda could just barely make out the flickering lights of candles in windows, and the silhouette of tall towers against the flashing sky.

Imelda riled her men and together they made their way toward it through the thick rain. By the time they reached the courtyard, everyone was soaked to the bone and freezing.

Darius assisted Susan from the horse and Imelda got down soon after, handing the reins to one of her men and nodding towards Jack, Darius, and a handful of others to follow. Jack held out his arm for the sopping queen and she thankfully took it, following quickly behind Imelda as the warrior sprung up the steps and pushed open the doors.

They were immediately greeted by guards, who, when they saw Queen Susan, smiled relieved smiles and rushed to her. "My Queen! I shall tell the High King immediately of your return!"

Imelda held out her arm as he passed, stopping him in his tracks before he could do so. In a fierce voice, she told him, "First, make sure my horses are given a dry place to sleep tonight, if you may."

Speechless at the abrupt order from the unknown woman, the guard looked toward Susan to seek permission. The woman only nodded, and said, "Tell my brother that I am well and waiting for him in the throne room with my rescuers." And, like the very queen she was, Susan lead Imelda and her men to said room to wait out her family.

They came, soon afterwards, probably from dinner. Imelda watched curiously as the other three monarchs bolted into the room, not appearing very royal at all as they immediately went to their sister and hugged her. It was not until the smallest girl noticed the dark, calculating eyes on them that the rest stopped to take any notice of her.

The High King, a blonde haired man with the brightest eyes she'd ever seen, stepped forward and held out his hand to her. Imelda stared at it, unsure of what to do. Was this a custom in this land? To hold out your hand as a greeting? Instead of finding out, she spoke up, "You are High King, then. I trust you will give my men and I rooms for the night, as we are cold and tired."

He raised an eyebrow at her sudden demand, hand slowly sinking back to his side. Imelda saw him exchange a glance with the dark haired boy, and felt a little annoyed at the obvious thought process. "We must thank you for bringing our dear sister back to us before any preparations are made," he said, his voice strong. He looked back at his returned sister and smiled, "What reward will suit your fancy?"

Imelda raised both eyebrows at him, surprised at such a mention. "I seek nothing except room to sleep."

If she had been surprised at his question, then High King Peter was shocked at her answer. He stared at her, opening his mouth and then closing it again as he assessed the situation. "Surely…you'll want something more than what you will be given anyway?"

And then Imelda remembered the reason that she had brought her men this far north to begin with, and her expression turned stony. "I should like permission to track a group of renegade clansmen who have entered Narnia. They are the same men who kidnapped Queen Susan."

The king's shock only increased from there. He looked at her now with interest, "You would track these men down simply because they kidnapped the queen of another kingdom? I do not understand - "

"They are of the Caderyn house," Imelda cut in, eyes flashing at the mere mention, "a vicious clan of the Western Wilds who have down many wrongs to my people. Your queen has little to do with my vengeance. I simply wish to clear the world of their stained blood."

Susan looked at her, brow furrowed, "What wrong did they commit to make you act this way?"

Imelda looked to her, chin raised as she responded, "…They murdered my father. Will you give me permission or not, High King?"

He was silent, staring at her with eyes that she could not begin to guess at. After a long, tense moment, he finally nodded his head. Imelda bowed shortly and turned to leave, gesturing at her men to follow. Before she had gone far, however, the king's voice stopped her. "Wait. Who are you, exactly?"

She glanced around her shoulder at him, brow poised, and responded with a shrug, "I am Imelda of the Western Wilds." Before the door swung shut and left High King Peter alone with his siblings.

* * *

"She is awful…different," was the first thing uttered after all talk of Susan's immediate safety had been addressed. The other looked at Lucy, who had been the one to speak. The young woman leaned back in her chair and murmured, "I've never met a woman who looks as fierce as her. Like a wild woman."

"Lucy!" Susan scolded, sitting up. "She rescued me from those horrid men and I'll not have you - "

"Calm down, Susan!" Lucy laughed, shaking her head at her sister's strong words. It was odd for Susan to become so protective over someone outside her immediate family and trusted friends, and so quickly too! Lucy could only imagine that part of her protectiveness had to do with the gratitude of being lead home by another woman to whom she could relate. Well, sort of. The differences between the two were like night and day.

"I think she's rather beautiful, actually," Lucy mused, mischief twinkling in her eyes as she glanced at her brothers briefly. Edmund rolled his own eyes and Peter either didn't see or ignored her, because he didn't look away from the fire. "Don't you think, Peter?"

"I'm sorry, what?" he finally drew his eyes from the dancing flame in the hearth. It was obvious that he was thinking hard, but on what, they could only guess.

"Imelda. She's got a raw sort of beauty to her, do you not think?" Lucy grinned. "I'm sure Ed appreciates it. He hates anything to do with those giggling princesses that always come around to see you two."

Susan sighed and shook her head in exasperation. Lucy would never stop teasing her brothers about said princesses, and she had a feeling that the subject of Imelda would only increase the teasing. Peter made a noise to show he'd heard, but didn't say anything else on the matter and Lucy allowed it to drop, asking Susan instead about the wilderness of the Wilds, as she had never seen it herself.

"Oh, it is true to it's name. in the area I was in there were tall grasses and sparse trees, though Imelda had told me that it is different in many areas. It is dangerous, for there are many clans that roam the Wild and many battles take place there." Susan tilted her head, silently musing to herself, and then said, "I suppose I can understand why Imelda is a soldier. Not every princess can sit cooped up all day like we can, hmm?" She was about to go on, but Edmund interrupted with an interested, "Did you say princess?"

"Oh!" Susan gasped, "But I forgot to tell you! When we first met, Imelda introduced herself as princess of the Western Wild, daughter to their queen." Because her brothers were now giving her disbelieving looks, she hurried to explain. "She later explained that her mother is more of a self-proclaimed queen, and her father had been elected by the clans to oversee them and attempt to stop their warring."

"So…then she is not a princess? But rather a self-proclaimed one?" Lucy seemed confused at the notion, and Susan had to admit that it confused herself as well. She would have to ask Imelda more on the subject.

"Well, this certainly changes things, even if they are only self-proclaimed," Edmund said, and the two sisters exchanged a look. Their brother was in a diplomacy mood. They could tell because his eyes were unfocused and he seemed to be brooding.

"You must mean, of course," Peter cut in, "that now the Western Wilds are opened up to us as there is a ruler, we can go in and present a treaty of some sort?" He shifted. "I have been pondering the exact thing, though I would rather learn more about this land before any rash decisions are made. Before today, I thought the Wilds to be a mass of wilderness and nothing else!"

Lucy furrowed her brow, "Yes. That is strange isn't it? To have the Wilds show up so randomly in such a manner? I suggest we invite Imelda to stay a fortnight or two. What do you think, Susan?"

The older queen smiled and nodded, "I should like that very much."

Peter looked up at them with a raised brow, "Hang on then! You are forgetting that she leaves on the morrow to track down the Caderyn men. She may not even plan on returning to Cair before the journey home."

"Well then it is your duty to go to her before she leaves and ask for her to stay after she is finished dealing with the Caderyns." Peter looked at Susan and sighed, but agreed that it would be for the best to have Imelda stick around for a while longer. He had many questions for her concerning the Wilds, after all. He couldn't deny that he was rather intrigued.

"Very well," Peter nodded, before standing up just as Lucy yawned. "I think we should all retire to bed. It is late." And it was. Tomorrow they would deal with everything else, but for now, sleep was in order.

* * *

The next day came quickly for Imelda. She had not had much sleep the night before and had ended up rising early to prepare. She had polished her armor and ate breakfast before the sun had even risen, much to the disgruntlement of her men, who she forced awake soon after.

"Get up!" she laughed - a sound that was seldom heard from her stoic lips. "We must ride at first light. Or second, I suppose, since the first has already left us."

Darius rolled his eyes at her strange behavior and muttered, "What's wrong with her this morning?" he attempted to roll back over in his bed, but Imelda snatched away his pillow before he could grab onto it and threw it across the room.

"Oi!" he growled, sitting back up and glowering at her. Gislin, one of her other men, chuckled as he slid on his boots. "You should listen to the General when she's in a mood like this. She can get pretty scary, hmm?" and he proceeded to duck as another pillow was chucked at his head from said general.

As her men ate breakfast, Imelda scampered into the courtyard to find her horses waiting, tethered but unsaddled. Her gray stallion nickered to her and she patted his neck, untying him from the post and walking him to the saddles. Her own saddle, a stout leather one that wasn't particularly impressive, and heaved onto his back a moment later and she began adjusting the straps.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was now making it's way strongly into the sky, and it washed over the landscape of Narnia with a loveliness that took Imelda's breath away - a rare thing to have happen to her, for certain. There was something about this place, though. She could feel it in her heart. She had felt it yesterday, and she felt it now as she breathed in the clear air around her.

It was not long before she was interrupted, but it was not Darius, Jack, or any of her men for that matter. It turned out to be the High King himself, which surprised her.

"That is a lovely stallion," Peter said, loping across the courtyard to where Imelda stood. She glanced at him shortly before turning back to her work, "His name is Arawn. It means something along the lines of 'wild'."

Peter nodded, reaching out to pat the horse, "A fitting name." And he proceeded to watch her as she tightened the saddle and began slipping the harness on.

"I'm sure you have other responsibilities than seeing me off, your Highness. I shall not want to keep you from them," Imelda said, finally finishing her work and look up at him. Why he was here she did not know. All she could really fathom was how brilliant his hair shone when the sun beat down on it like it was doing now. The nature of her thoughts shocked her, though, and so she was quick to look away for fear that he guessed them.

Peter shifted, "Indeed I do, though any distraction from them is a good one, I can assure you." He gave her a smile that had a strange effect on the shortness of her breath, and continued, "I have come to offer my luck on your journey and I shall hope to see you in Cair after your duty is done."

Imelda's eyes flickered to his, surprise showing in them. They looked at each other a moment too long, and she tore her gaze back as she said, "If is pleases you, High King, then I'm sure my men will appreciate the safety of this castle before our journey home."

Peter nodded, pleased at her reaction. "It would also please my royal family and I if you were to prolong your stay here at Cair Paravel. We wish to know more about you and your lands, if you permit us to. We also wish to thank you more solidly for bringing our sister back to us."

Imelda's lips jerked into a smile, and she shook her head, "No more thanks are needed, my King, I beg you! I acted only on what my heart told me to do. I fear it was your sister's own strength that brought her home safely, not my interference."

"Still," he placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled, "you have a good heart." And then broke their touch, because it gave him a warmth that he could neither explain nor understand. The silence settled into one of slight awkwardness, and so Peter was quick to withdraw. "Good luck, my Lady. I expect to see your return within the week."

She nodded at him and watched as the High King turned on his heel and sauntered back up the steps to his castle.

* * *

A little more than a week later, their duty had been paid and Imelda led her men back into Cair Paravel. There was few casualties, and they managed to wipe out the last of the renegade group before they got too far into Narnia. It took them two days to track them, for they had not gone far and were ultimately an easy kill once they were found.

Susan greeted her immediately upon her return, racing down the steps to where Imelda was now sliding off Arawn. The gray stallion shifted as she did, looking rather exhausted from the full day of traveling they'd had. The evening sun was slowly sinking into the horizon and Imelda was thankful they made it before dark.

"How went your mission? I trust it was successful?" Susan wondered, taking the reins that Imelda thrust at her as the fierce woman nodded and wiped her brow.

"Indeed it was, Your Majesty. But where is your medic? Some of my men are injured and in need of assistance, if you please." She gestured behind her, where a few of the men were acting more sluggish than the rest. Susan nodded and was about to reply when her eyes drifted over Imelda's arm, which was wrapped up in a makeshift bandage.

She leaned in to touch it gingerly, worry shifting her eyes. "You are injured yourself. Allow me to fetch Lucy and she can clean your wound."

But Imelda was already shaking her head before Susan had even finished, "It is just a scratch, my Lady. My men are suffering worse than I."

Queen Susan nodded slowly, agreeing but not necessarily liking the testament. She hurried back up the steps, rushing to where the court physician was so that he may treat their wounds,

As soon as Susan was gone, Jack slapped a hand onto Imelda's shoulder and wistfully sighed. "Narnia is a lovely place, isn't it? We seem more welcome here than we are in our own land!" he searched her face for any sign of agreement, and she nodded thoughtfully. He continued, "And the royalty…very beautiful. And handsome, I suppose, though my preference lies with the Queen Susan - "

He was cut off by the unmistakable sound of Imelda's name, followed by the bright sheen of blonde hair as the leading monarch stepped down into the courtyard. "Susan told me of your return. I am grateful for your safety. And your men's, of course," he added, nodding to Jack. Peter turned back to Imelda and said, "Lucy will be assisting the physician, as she is studying medicine. I will show your men where they will be treated."

As he turned back, followed by her men, Jack chuckled and murmured, "Now there's a good match, don't you think? Though I'm sure you'll take some getting used to around here. Can't really imagine you wearing fine dresses like the other queens - "

"What on earth are you jabbering about, Jack?" Imelda rolled her eyes, shrugging his hand off her shoulder. "If you are speaking of High King Peter and myself, then I surely do not know why. We have nothing in common."

But Jack's silence made Imelda think, pondering if her words were indeed true or just a method of destroying any hope she may have festered during her journey.

* * *

**_A/N: Sorry if that ended rather abruptly. Still figuring out the flow of the story and all. Next chapter will probably have more Peter-Imelda interaction ^_^_**


	3. Letters and Blushes

**I know it's short...sorry D: I had a bit of writer's block with this chapter and I'm trying to figure out the skeleton outline of the story. I started it on a whim so it's all a jumble of thoughts right now xD**

**Thanks for the reviews/PMs people sent me! I appreciate the shout-outs and hope you continue to review :D**

* * *

**Imelda**

**Chapter Three: Letters and Blushes**

* * *

_Imelda,_

_Your news brings me great pleasure. Narnia is a powerful nation and it would be wise to keep them in our good favor. I trust that you will remember that your primary mission will be to win over the young monarchs. Once they have given you their trust, they will be easy to manipulate as I see fit._

_Do see that you act as I would have you. Keep to your manners as strictly as possible and make sure to accept any invitation that you are given regarding the Kings and Queens. _

_I will see you in one month on your return to Adelmar Castle. Do not fail me._

_Queen Irma, Guardian of the Western Wilds, Lady of Adelmar, and ruling Monarch to it's people._

With a heavy sigh, Imelda folded the paper that she had only just received and slid it into her shirt, so that it rested against the skin of her chest. Her mother was a woman that was both shrewd and kind, in a strange, bitter way. But Imelda loved her as a daughter loved a parent and often times failed to see the exact roughness that was her monarch.

Her fingers brushed over roughly hewn stone. A gentle breeze picked up the roots of her hair and tossed them to the sky, making Imelda tilt her head back as she accepted the caress. She felt naked here, but she knew not why. Only that it could have something to do with the stark wilderness that was so lush and compromising. Or, the more likely excuse, because she hadn't bothered putting on her usual steel and leather mesh of armor upon waking that morning.

Her lack of normal appearance was due to a certain discomfort that Imelda felt. The other Narnians must have been very surprised to find her - a woman! - dressed in such a roughish way. The maids had given her strange looks on her first day, and as Imelda passed them by in the halls, she could hear the whispers that slipped beneath hushed breaths.

It was for this reason that she had decided to don an outfit slightly more conforming, though she would never admit her defeat aloud, or even to herself for that matter. She wore this particular dress (if one could even call it that) in Castle Adelmar on countless occasions, for her mother enjoyed seeing her in more feminine attire when she was there. The skirt was a billowing, velvety black material that was slightly longer in the back. The bodice was leather and suede, and conformed to her breasts in a manner that might have bordered on inappropriate. But Imelda didn't particularly care for proprieties, and when she next passed a bunch of whispering maids, they were silenced by the sheer sight of her languid body and the haughty, slightly devious smirk that sat upon her lips.

Susan, as well, was surprised. But it was for a slightly other reason. "Oh!" the Gentle Queen stopped immediately, expression in what must have been a rare sight of surprise, for the younger queen Lucy began giggling at the face. Susan paused in her shock to send Lucy a pointed look before coming over to stand beside Imelda, "But you look lovely without all that armor!" Her eyes scanned over her body in a way that made Imelda feel rather like prey. It was a feeling that she didn't often feel, and so she shifted and raised a brow at the queen.

"Oh, great," Lucy smirked. "You've just signed your death. Now Susan will want to play dress up with you."

Once again, Susan threw Lucy a look, before pulling on the younger queen's arm and moving a few yards away to whisper furtively with her. Imelda could only stare in confusion at the grins that both queens were sporting. She had a bad feeling about this…

"Imelda?" Lucy suddenly sidled up to her, eyes sparkling in a mischievous way. Her seemingly innocent smile caught Imelda off guard. "Would you care to join my royal family for afternoon tea? I'm sure Peter would love the break." The underlying tone in her voice was one that Imelda could only guess at. Her brow furrowed and she was left in utter confusion for a moment before her mind flashed back to the letter that was still pressed warmly to her bosom.

"I…suppose." She watched Lucy beam at her, "What time will tea be served?"

"Oh, now is as good a time as ever!" Lucy snuck her hand into Imelda's, shot Susan a look that Imelda did not catch, and rushed off with her captive with Susan dawdling behind. Imelda could only wonder, exasperated and astonished at the rather sudden turn of events.

* * *

It had been a long day for Peter. The High King's duties seemed to never end. He had been at it since before dawn and was absolutely starving and exhausted. It was normal for the siblings to take tea together whenever they had the time. Lucy had already begged Peter to put aside his work for an hour that afternoon so they could partake in the tradition. He waited for everyone as usual, expecting their arrival at around 2 o'clock. What he did not expect, of course, was the woman that entered his office behind Lucy.

It wasn't exactly the woman that astounded him. It had more to do with what she was wearing. He gaped openly at her, eyes burning over the gothic style skirt and the tight, revealing neckline. He had not seen her in anything but that steel armor, and was surprised to find that she was so…womanly beneath it all. The direction of his thoughts made him blush. Peter jerked his eyes up to hers, but she wasn't looking at him. Unfortunately, both his sisters were. With knowing, amused expressions.

Peter cleared his throat and Imelda jerked her eyes to him, finally allowing herself to look at him. She wasn't stupid. She felt the temperature of the room rise upon her entrance - or was that just her overall body heat? She couldn't tell, her heart was pumping too loudly for her brain to make sense it all. All she could really see was the way Peter was looking at her, with the same baffled fire that was stirring within her.

"Ah…please take a seat. Edmund should be here soon," Peter said rather awkwardly, clearly having not expected anyone other than his siblings. He hurriedly moved to clear away his messy desk.

"He wouldn't miss the chance to stuff himself with food, that's for sure," Lucy chortled as she took her seat, and before she could open her mouth again, the deeper voice of the Just King interrupted her. "Say that again," he dared, but sent her a wink that made the edge of his voice seem childish. She responded with another laugh.

Imelda took her seat with an air of confidence, but inside she was a bundle of frayed nerves. It confused her, the feelings jumbling around her head. She could only guess that it was physical attraction, because one could simply not deny the fact that the High King was extremely handsome. In fact, his entire family was attractive. It made Imelda feel inferior in a way she normally hadn't the time to feel. She tried to pat down her wild blonde hair.

"How's the work coming, Peter?" Susan inquired, but by the tone of her voice, it was apparent that she didn't much care to know the answer. Peter must have known this, so he turned to his brother when he did respond, "Treaties with the North are coming along fine. We're finally making some leeway!" The news, though cryptic to Imelda, made Edmund nod and grin in a pleased way.

Imelda didn't know much about the Northern parts of Narnia or anything surrounding it, so she wondered who they had been fighting and for how long. Edmund was the one who answered her, voice light but somehow solemn at the same time. "The giants. It's been going on for months now and we've only just begun wrapping things up with them. Fantastic!" he added, grinning at Peter and helping himself to one of the sandwiches.

Imelda thought back to the battles she'd been a part of and then tried to liken them to fighting giants. She'd never seen one before, and was quite happy with that. The thought of going up against something so huge made her uneasy.

"How are you liking Cair Paravel so far?" Lucy asked her, and Imelda was drawn from the images of battle and into the warmth of her companion's face. Lucy smiled at her, showing an innocence that made Imelda surprised. "Most visitors enjoy staying here, at least during this season." And then, before Imelda could even attempt an answer, Lucy plowed right on, "Winter is sometimes a sore season for us, but I love it. Do you have much snow in the Wilds?"

This time, Lucy paused and Imelda was able to speak, "In some parts. But never enough for it to last more than a day."

Susan smiled and said, "The snow falls very heavily here. It remains on the ground for weeks on end!" Imelda couldn't even imagine what such a thing could look like, but reckoned it must be a lovely sight.

She reached for one of the sandwiches and her hand clashed with another's. A shock lingered at her fingertips even after Peter drew his hand away, apologizing in a way that made Imelda feel somehow more embarrassed. Her thoughts lingered back to Jack's words that day over two weeks ago and she felt a strange warmth creeping up her neck. She shook her head and vehemently thought_, I definitely, without a doubt, undeniably hold _no_ attraction for this blonde king._ If only her body would agree.


End file.
